Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-02-17

who was nearly wild with grief at tbs
loss or the one being whom he had tc
love IN the wide world. Only for thing:
that his mother said to him before she
fell asleep, 1 fear Tad would have drift
ed into the ways of too many of ouI
| city boys who, like him. are left home
less and friendless amid temptation and
sim But the boy had good stuff in
| him. and. best of all, he held his moth
er's memory and parting words as
something too sacred TO be forgotten.
do not claim shat he was one OF those
immaculate street boys common enough
| IN fiction, but. aEasi so rare in fact. By
no means. Truth compels me To state
that Tad Thorne 81 Ehe age OF fourteen
was rather rude In speech, quick-tem-
Pered and the OWNER OF Il decidedly
obstinate disposition which. however,
was readily affected bV kindly words.
Yet, do YOU wonder at ais faults9 The
only wonder TO myself Is that Tad did
not become really bad coy; for since
MS mothers death he had us one NAV
say, almost lived in the streets. For
Tad had no home. L friendly news
vender gave him lodgings under his
periodical counter in the sitv post
office. in return for which Tai sold pa
pers or ran errands. And in odd mo-
ments he had managed 10 keep soul
and body together by backing boots.
peddling matches. CARRYING valises,
holding horses, and Il score Of ot{ser de-
vices known TO the average street boy.
have mentioned Tad's faults= now
let me tell you some of his better quali-
ties. He was honest clean-mouthed. and,
generally speaking, truthful. as wei as
kind-hearted and generous to an ex-
travagan5 degree He had attended the
night schools attracted at first by
their warmth and comfOrt-where he
learned TO read creditably. spell fairly,
write legibly and cipher understand
ingly.- But, with his superiority in many
respects over the. associates among
whom his lot OF late had been thrown,
Tad. in thinking matters over, had TO
confess that. in business point Of
view, he had been any thing but sue
cess. The truth Is. Tad was not sharp
or INSCRIPTIONS enough to compete
with his fellows; but this fact he did
not recognize
- guess l N not one of the lucky
ones he murmured. rather ruefuIIy,
as he mentally reviewed his many
business failures, while the swift train.
which was bearing him away from the
scene Of them al. 10 fresh fields and
pastures new. went laundering on
through the darkness toward Boston.
Boston As Tad thoughts reverted
from the past. the name repeated itself
over in his mind. Seems as though |
heard mother say once that I had an
Aunt Rhoda who lived IN Boston. or
Bangor, or-anyway, it was Il place
that began with B. somewhere down
East, unused Tad. Not that he
hoped. expected OF even desired to meet
this, the only relative he knew of IL
the world. L was enough TO remember
that she had never held communication
with Mrs. Thorne since her marriage to
some one whom her older sister Rhoda
did not Ike. And slight offered to
his mother was in Tad : eyes an I'M
partionable offense.
But 50 much thinking. together with
the warmth Of the stean-hearing pipes
AT his back and the even, 0n-rushing
movement of the train. began 10 make
Tad drowsv- Peeping out OF his hiding
place. he could see that many Of the
passengers were diSposing themselves
for uneasy slumber, and. Judging by
certain sounds from the chair in front Of
him. Tad : lady was already IN dream
land. So. leaning his head back against
the flIr-Iined cloak which had already
served him such a good turn. and.
being used TO sleeping in al sorts of
posturrs and places. Tad fell fast asleep
in no time. ROusing himself at inter-
walls long enough 10 silently change his
cramped position. Tad passed the long
night in comparative comfort. until
with the dawn OF morning all began to
shake off their drOwsiness, and TO
struggle into more comfortable posi-
tons. as they grrmbled about not hav-
ing slept Il wink during the night.
Tad's lady was not exactly cross, but
Tad noticed that she called her hus-
band Mr.. Mason. instead Of John.
dear" as on the evening before. when
she asked him how he had rested. And
he also noticed that Mr.. MasOn's voice
was rather sharp as he replied that the
COMPOUNDED chair had given him three
distinct kinks in his backbone. and
while economy was well enough IN its
place, bv George! another time he'd
have his own way, and take section
in a sleeper" as sure as his name
was John Mason.
so. my Iadyis Mrs. John Mason.
Tad thought to himself. trying in his
imagination Co picture her face from
the sound Of her voice. and failing en-
tirely But without well knowing why,
he resolved not to forget the name Of
the lady who-as he mentally ex-
pressed it-..beIonGed TO the fur-lined
cloak Other and less pleasant thoughts
began TO obtrude themselves. as the
morning wore on Now that he was
so near his destination. Tad 5 growing
anxiety as To his future movements
contrasted rather strongly with his
philosophy of the previous evening.
s-Tu get something 60 eat. first of
all finally decided Tad. resolving not
TO lay any plans till this important duty
had been performed. He had cash
capital Of ten cents, together with two
boxes OF matches as balance OF stock
/ in trade, so that he felt sure Of Il
/ breakfast-not a luxurious one. it is
! true-but. Ike a stale bun, very filing